I have a new Denon 4306, with the Polk xtr-12 currently running throught it. I am interested in using the XM-ready feature of this receiver, putting the Polk at another location. Does anyone here have experience with the mini-tuner? Will I gain or lose convenience/quality/etc. if I make this change?

I assume that the DACs are better in the Denon than in the Polk, which oddly enough sounds better using the analog outputs.

Is there a consensus about this? Thanks!

The audio quality is already so butchered and compressed, what do you think any particular DAC will improve?

Always hopeful.

When I got my Denon 4306 a year ago, I retired my Polk xtr12 and switched over to the XM capabilities of the 4306. I never did a serious A-B test of the sound of the Denon XM vs Polk XM; both sounded fine as long as you have a good satellite signal. I can't really say you miss anything feature-wise either, except for the Remote. The Polk remote is easier to use than the Denon, but this didn't bother me, as I use a Pronto with all of the stations accessible via name anyway. If you don't use some kind of custom-programmed remote and do tend to listen to a number of stations, this could make you want to stay with your Polk unit.

Did you have any specific questions? Feel free to pm me.

-- Dave